Rourke will not partake in real-life wrestling

A SPOKESWOMAN for actor Mickey Rourke says he won’t be taking his latest film role as a professional wrestler into a real-life ring after all.

Paula Woods said Rourke will not wrestle WWE superstar Chris Jericho at Wrestlemania 25 in April at Houston’s Reliant Stadium.

Woods wrote in an email that the Oscar-nominated actor “will not be participating in Wrestlemania. He is focusing entirely on his acting career”.

Rourke portrays wrestler Randy the Ram in the acclaimed movie The Wrestler. He made a surprise announcement about the wrestling event on Sunday night on the red carpet before the Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles.

Rourke had said he was going to toss Jericho “around the ring like tossed salad”.

Rumours have been rife that Rourke had signed up for a WrestleMania 25 appearance to grapple with Chris Jericho.

Jericho reportedly said he had no respect for the actor.